Vancouver Convention Centre

Vancouver Convention Centre

Project description:

The Concept

They went for LEED Gold, but won Platinum, something that the athletes can be dreaming of. The Vancouver Convention Center is a particular congress center and not only because the media used it to report on the 2010 Winter Olympics. More than 7000 media were reporting from the media center of the Vancouver Convention Center West.

The Challenge

Opened in April of 2009, the idea was to create a building which would be not just functional and stunning, but also ecologically sustainable. This has been proven by its LEED-Certification from the Canada Green Building Council. Rather than Silver or Gold, Platinum was awarded to the project.

The Realization

Free, unhindered views of the breath-taking Burrard Inlet and the North Shore Mountains, was a core aspect of the facade design. Hence the avoidance of a metal vertical structure to stiffen the facade rather the use of 19mm SECURIT-H safety glass stabilizers to support the solar control glazing system. The extra-clear DIAMANT glass imparts a fusion with the natural surrounding for the occupants. The solar control insulating units also use the low-iron DIAMANT glass. About 14,000 m² of this high performance thermal insulating glass were manufactured by GLASSOLUTIONS Austria in typical dimensions of 1.8 x 3.4 m. These provide a natural, color-neutral daylight but also provide optimum safety. All internal glass is made of laminated safety glass or SECURIT-H.

As this project well documents, passive house technologies have found their way to the Olympic Games and points towards medals are gained by using sustainable glass solutions.

The goal was achieved, Vancouver Convention Centre is a masterpiece of both functional and sustainable design.